Morris County St. Patrick's Day Parade Returns: Parking, Restaurants Deals And More

Update, 2 p.m. Friday: The parade is on for noon Saturday, despite a rainy forecast and a chance of thunderstorms later that day.

"Who said the weather in Ireland is always sunny and warm?" parade organizers posted on social media. "A little rain doesn't stop the Irish. See everyone Tomorrow at noon. We've been waiting three years for this! Come out and join in the fun!"

After two years of COVID-19 cancelations, the parade was set to return last weekend for the first time since 2019. But the rainy, snowy forecast pushed the parade to its rain date this Saturday.

There's still a good chance — 80 percent, to be precise — of rain on the parade, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters expect showers throughout Saturday, with a chance of thunderstorms between 2 and 5 p.m. Those sticking around and enjoying Morristown's nightlife may also observe thunderstorms that evening, according to the agency.

Behind the Scenes: 3 Years (And A Week) Later: St. Patrick's Day Back In Morris Co.

With the first Morris County St. Patrick's Day Parade set to take place in three years, event organizers expressed optimism that spectators would be more than happy to withstand some rain if it were in the forecast.

The event has been "rain or shine" unless extreme weather conditions render it unsafe, according to its website. But more hazardous weather is a different story. Before this year, the parade was only postponed twice because of weather — in 1993 because of a snow state of emergency and in 2010 because of severe conditions.

Find Patch's complete guide to the parade below.

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Three years, two COVID-19 cancelations and a weather postponement later, the Morris County St. Patrick's Day Parade is returning. Perhaps New Jersey's largest parade for the holiday, the event typically brings tens of thousands of spectators around Morristown.

The parade kicks off at noon March 19 from Town Hall (200 South St.), before traveling west on South Street, going around the Green and continuing west on Washington Street.

Whether you've been waiting for this since pre-COVID times or you're just planning for the day's traffic, here's what to know about Morristown's first official St. Patrick's Day parade since 2019:

Parking, Traffic

The Morristown Parking Authority will make all of its garages free from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Police plan to "strictly" enforce parking restrictions along the parade route, ticketing and towing illegally parked vehicles.

Morristown police will begin road closures between 11:15 and 11:30 a.m. Additional details about road closures will come later this week, according to the Morristown Bureau of Police. Patch will update with details when they're available.

Officials will enforce detours throughout the parade, but drivers should expect "significant" delays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone driving through Morristown should plan an alternate route or set aside additional time.

The parade has attracted 50,000-80,000 spectators throughout the years, so it might behoove spectators to plan their trip ahead of time.

Find directions here.

Pre-Parade Activities

Those with kids should consider stopping by early for the pre-parade activities on the Green, which include coloring shamrocks — weather permitting. Activities begin an hour or two before the parade, according to Mike Leavy, the event's publicity director.

"Usually you get a crowd of parents out there to watch their kids," Leavy told Patch. "The Green’s a great spot to watch the parade."

The St. Patrick's Day Parade mass was not postponed. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Church (91 Maple Ave.) held the service last Saturday.

Meet Your Grand Marshal

It's unusual for the parade committee to select the same grand marshal for three years straight, but these are unusual times. Mary Waller earned the esteemed position for the 2020 parade, which got canceled.

But with all the time Waller put into the role outside of the parade, organizers didn't want to rob her of the opportunity to celebrate the festivity as grand marshal. So they selected the Long Valley resident for the role again last year, with a chance a parade could occur in 2021. But it got canceled again during the public-health crisis, so Waller will finally take the Morristown streets as grand marshal of the 2022 parade.

Waller was born in 1938 in Jersey City. Her father and mother were first- and third-generation Irish Americans, respectively. She has volunteered for several organizations throughout the years, including the parade committee, Newton Medical Center and the Irish American Association of North West Jersey, for which she served in several leadership positions, including vice president.

"Mary’s Irish heritage and upbringing have provided her with the strength, perseverance, humor and understanding that we are all a product of our life’s experiences," her grand marshal page says. "She had been fortunate to receive help and guidance from family and others throughout her life and upon retiring had the opportunity to give back to others."

Bars, Restaurants, Businesses Celebrating

The parade creates a prime day for Morristown businesses, and plenty of establishments will take advantage and get festive.

Morristown's restaurants are also ready to serve patrons who plan to eat, drink and be merry. Here are a few things going on:

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